Letter opener



INVENTOR f m H E m L E a M I. m P

Jul 28, 19%., v

I 1A- A Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES 2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a letter opener made of plastic material comprising a body or case and a lid, said letter opener using a cutter blade for the purpose of opening an envelope by cutting a small strip from edge of an envelope.

A still further object is to provide a device of the character of simple and practical construction which is efiicient in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages, reside in the details of construction as more fully here in after described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein, like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure I is a front elevation view of letter opener with cutter blade shown in dotted outline mounted in position.

Figure II is an elevation sectional view taken on line 11-11 in the direction arrows are pointing in Figure I.

Figure III is an elevation sectional view taken on line IIIIII in the direction arrows are pointing in Figure I.

Figure IV is a lower end view of Figure I.

Figure V is a sectional view taken on line VV in the direction arrows are pointing in Figure I.

Figure VI is a sectional View taken on line VI-VI in the direction arrows are pointing in Figure I.

Figure VII is a right hand elevation view of Figur I.

Figure VIII is a front elevation view of letter opener with cutter blade in operating position while cutting off the edge of an envelope shown in dotted outline.

Figure IX is a diagrammatic plan view of portion of an envelope shown in dotted outline.

Referring now to the drawing in detail.

The drawing in Figure I designates a body or case made of plastic material having a recess I3, on one side of the body or case for holding a cutter blade II. The cutter blade extends down into the arm I5, which has a slot I6 for engagement of one corner of cutter blade II, as shown in dotted line in Figure I.

The cutter blade is held in position by a lid I9, which is beveled on its edges as shown in Figure VI. The lid I9 is held in position by beads I8 which are on the inside edges of recess I3, as shown in Figure VI. The lid I9 has a concave portion 2!! on one edge as shown in Figure V for the means of flipping out said lid.

An arm I running parallel with the body or case and said arm I5 is made of two pieces of plastic material having a slot I6 for a cutter blade. The two pieces are attached together by projections I! inserted into the holes in the other part of arm as shown in the drawing Figure II.

The groove It acts as a gauge when envelope is being cut open as shown in Figure VII.

The Figure IV is shown as bottom end view of letter opener with slot I6, Which is used for end of cutter blade I I as shown in Figure IV and Figure I.

Figure VII is an end view of letter opener with cutter blade II in operating position and 2I is an envelope shown by dotted lines in position in Figure VII and being cut open when being pulled along in groove I4.

The dotted line in Figure VIII designates edge of envelope III, being cut off by cutter blade II and dotted line 2! is body of envelope as shown in Figure VIII or Figure IX. The 2| in Figure IX is a portion of an envelope with the edge of envelope IE! partly cut off by cutter blade I I.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that to open an envelope the latter is inserted into groove I4 and merely by pulling letter opener along edge of envelope, a small strip is taken off, leaving the envelope opened.

It is believed the details of construction, advantages and manner of use of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing, without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A letter opener for opening an envelope or the like, said opener comprising of a body or case made of plastic material, and having a recess on one side of body or case in proportion, and adapting for engaging a cutter blade, and said recess having beads on its inner sides for retaining a lid, and said lid being made of plastic material, and having its edges beveled for a frictional engagement in the recess of said body or case.

2. A letter opener for opening an envelope or the like, said opener comprising of a body or case made of plastic material, and having a recess on one side of said body or case in proportion, and adapted for engaging a cutter blade, and said recess having beads on its inner side for retaining a lid, and said lid being made of plastic material, and having its edges beveled for a frictional engagement in the recess of said body or case, and an arm extending from one edge of said body or case, and being formed of two pieces of plastic material, and one piece being attached to the other by the means of projections on one arm inserting into the holes in the other arm, and a slot being formed in said arm for engaging end of a cutter blade.

ALVIN L. HOLSTE. 

